GNASH by Brian Parker

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the book.

The war against terror takes on a whole new meaning in Brian Parker's GNASH. Parker's military experience added a level of depth and realism to the story. I had a little issue with the cover art on this one. It just doesn't do the book justice, and frankly I think it may be something the author should think about redesigning. But make no mistake, this is a classic case of when not to judge a book by its cover. What was housed between the jacket far exceeded my expectations.It's always hard to put your own stamp on such a niche genre. There is only so many ways to skin a zombie. So I found it to be a clever change of pace to see varying levels of zombies. Zombies from the original batch are faster and smarter. While second tier undead are more akin to what we would see in a Romero flick.

A terrorist group infiltrates the Pentagon and the infection begins not with a bite, but the pinch of a needle as the infection is injected into an unsuspecting victim by a new type of suicide bomber. GNASH is a peri-apocalyptic narrative that revels in generating a palpable and tangible fear in its readers. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat anticipating another harrowing battle, and did not fail to disappoint. I'm a sucker for the scary, and GNASH delivered. Parker did an admirable job of painting gruesome scenes and should be commended for creating a believable and interesting protagonist.

GNASH is an action-packed read that's as scary a nest of black widow spiders taking up residence in your bedroom. You never know when or where your next pants-pissing encounter with the terrifying bastards will show up. And you're afraid to close your eyes because you just know when you do, you'll surely be bitten.

I assure you, you will not regret adding this book to your collection.

The Bookie Monster's Rating:

An ancient fundamentalist organization chooses to lash out against its enemies by conducting several simultaneous attacks across the globe. One of these assaults unleashes a deadly virus within the Pentagon, which sets off a chain reaction of events that the United States may not overcome.

When the virus mutates beyond anything the terrorists had expected, the nation's capital is plunged into a violent zombie outbreak that threatens to infect everyone in the region. A desperate, misguided attempt by a new political power to stop the potential global epidemic backfires as the undead survive the brutal pre-emptive strike and continue to wreak havoc on the human population when they reemerge from the bowels of the ruined city.

Grayson Donnelly, a former Army officer who is stranded in the Midwest during the outbreak, is forced to fight for his life and for the survival of his adopted community while his fiancée Emory is trapped in the Washington, D.C. quarantine zone. She struggles to come to terms with her own survival while living in a government-operated refugee camp just outside of the city.

Both Grayson and Emory must learn to adapt and do whatever is necessary in order to survive in a nation that is nearing anarchy as the terrorists' heinous scheme takes on a life of its own.

Brian has published two books and is working his way through a third. "GNASH" is a zombie apocalypse novel set in the Washington, D.C. area and "Zombie in the Basement" is a children's picture book designed to help children overcome the perceived stigma of being different than others. His book "Enduring Armageddon" is a post-apocalyptic fiction novel set in the United States and will be released soon.

Born and raised as an Army brat, Brian Parker moved all over the country as a child before his father retired from the service and they settled in a small Missouri town. After his father's retirement, the family purchased a farm where he learned the rewards of a hard day's work and enjoyed the escapism that books provided someone with bigger dreams.

Brian is currently an Active Duty Army soldier who enjoys spending time with his family in Texas, hiking, CrossFit, writing and Texas Longhorns football. His wife is also an Active Duty soldier and the pairing brings its own unique set of circumstances that keep both of them on their toes. He's an unashamed Star Wars fan, but prefers to disregard the entire Episode I and II debacle.